Chapter 756
The city of pleasure and amusement, Berino.
Located at the northernmost edge of the Dresden Kingdom, the city shares its southern border with the Shahed Kingdom, with the sea lying between them.
Its beautiful beaches are the most famous, but at night, the shoreline is closed, and dazzling casinos open their doors.
A place where dreams of sudden fortune and hollow illusions coexist. Gold rains down like a storm, but just as easily, someone ends up cast out onto the streets.
Simon, having stepped down from a carriage, was leisurely walking the streets here.
‘The rumors were true, the beach is pretty.’
The cool breeze and the sound of crashing waves made even his heart feel refreshed.
Everywhere, people in swimsuits could be seen. Some lay under parasols sipping juice, some played with a ball, others dashed into the sea to swim joyfully.
‘......Mm.’
But here, bare skin. Over there, bare skin.
The sight alone made his face burn. Though he had been to the seaside a few times before, Simon, who had grown up in the mountains, could never easily get used to such scenes.
Above all, this was the most crowded beach he had ever seen. To avoid getting caught up in trouble, he kept his eyes straight ahead as he walked.
Thud!
Suddenly, something caught his leg, and he nearly fell.
Barely managing to keep his balance, he turned back and saw that a tree root was sticking out of the ground.
‘Don’t they take care of things like this in the city? People could get hurt walking here.’
Simon thought no further of it and kept walking.
But then.
“Ah.”
“Wah!”
Too often for coincidence, his legs kept catching on something. At one point his foot sank into a tree root, and he nearly hit his head on a branch.
‘Is today just an unlucky day? Or.......’
Feeling something strange, Simon stopped and swept his eyes around.
“Found you!”
A panting voice pierced his ears.
Looking toward the sound, Simon saw a brown-haired girl breaking through the crowd, running toward him.
“Simon oppa! It really is Simon oppa, right?”
“Hm?”
Grab!
Simon staggered. The girl had thrown herself into his arms with the force of a tackle.
Only then did Simon recognize who she was.
“Sasha!”
“I missed you so much!”
Keyzen’s first-year, and Special Admission No.1.
Sasha Endrasil.
Like a puppy, she rubbed her face into Simon’s chest before lifting her head.
“No wonder today felt like good luck! To meet Simon oppa outside the school like this!”
“Y-yeah.”
“I called from far away, but you just kept walking, so I had to keep chasing you!”
So that was her doing earlier. Supporting her so she wouldn’t fall, Simon asked,
“But Sasha, what are you doing here?”
“Ah, I’m on a mission with some others.”
She answered, then pointed sulkily behind her.
Just then, two more familiar faces pushed through the crowd, running toward them.
“Student Council President!”
It was a girl with her hair neatly braided, moving with elegant composure. Though she dressed plainly to blend in with commoners, her grace and aura could not be concealed.
The only princess of the Dresden Kingdom, Molly Dresden.
“Hahahaha! Long time no see, Simon-senior!”
Next came a boy with flaming red hair, carrying not one but three swords.
His lion-like mane, with his forehead exposed, left a strong impression. He was none other than the Mercenary King, Arthur.
The famous Keyzen first-year trio had gathered in one place.
“Grow up a little.”
Molly spoke sharply, dragging Sasha away from Simon. She then stood before him herself, bowing politely in proper etiquette.
“Greetings, Student Council President-senior.”
“Ah, hello, Molly.”
“I owe you much from the last incident. How have you been?”
“I’ve been fine.......”
Rustle!
Nearby, a tree branch suddenly stretched out and yanked at Molly’s hair. She cried out “Ugh!” as her head jerked back, and beside her, Sasha stood with a sulky expression, finger raised.
“Don’t interrupt the reunion of Special Admission No.1, No.10.”
Molly tore off the branch and shouted,
“Who said I was interrupting?!”
“I didn’t say you were. Seems like you admitted it yourself, huh? Idiot.”
It was still unclear whether they got along or not.
Still, could you really treat a princess like that? Watching them, Simon broke into a nervous sweat.
“But.”
Simon turned lastly to Arthur.
“What are you doing dressed like that?”
While everyone else wore beach-appropriate clothes, Arthur alone was in full armor.
He was drawing every eye in the area.
“I’m on a mission, senior!”
Arthur raised his sword scabbard before his forehead like a salute.
“During the break, I return to my main job as a mercenary! A notice was sent to the city’s largest casino by a ‘phantom thief’, so I’m investigating.”
“......As expected of the Mercenary King. That must be tough.”
Molly suddenly cut into the conversation.
“We’ve also been corresponding with Arthur, and came here to assist with his mission.”
“Phantom thief, my foot.”
Sasha leaned back on her arm.
“Bet it’s just some petty thief trying to get attention. Let’s wrap it up quick and go have fun.”
Simon gazed at the three outstanding first-years. Whatever their mission was, he felt confident that with them handling it, there would be no problem.
Still, out of courtesy, he asked,
“Do you want my help?”
The three hesitated briefly, then smiled faintly.
“Your offer is generous, but we’ll manage.”
Molly declined politely with a smile.
“Hah! If the Student Council President himself went after some petty thief, it would disgrace Keyzen’s honor!”
Arthur flexed his arm as he spoke.
“Exactly, Simon oppa! Leave this to us!”
Sasha chimed in.
Simon felt reassured. He nodded firmly.
“Alright, do your best.”
Sasha grinned broadly, while Molly, still annoyed, glared at her fellow classmate.
Arthur then asked again,
“But what brings Simon-senior to Berino?”
“I’m just passing through.”
Simon explained that he would be staying here for about a day before heading to the grasslands at Hongpeng’s invitation.
At that, firestorms of envy lit up in their eyes.
“That sounds soooo fun! Take me too, Simon oppa!”
Sasha immediately clung to his leg.
“...And what about your mission and your classmates?”
“That stupid king and the interrupter are still Keyzen students, so they’ll manage just fine!”
“Wait! This time I definitely heard you call me an interrupter! How many times have I told you never to call me that......!”
Simon pried Sasha off him with difficulty as she clung, insisting on going with him.
Of course, her ability to freely control plants would be useful on the grasslands, but this was the first vacation for these three as Keyzen students. At the very least, he wanted them to spend their first break together with their classmates.
“And besides, we’re not just going off on our own. We’re going because Professor Hongpeng invited us.”
“Really? That’s too bad.”
Though she said that, Sasha still looked ready to follow Simon to the end.
Just then.
Boooom!
A loud noise erupted behind them. Tourists screamed in the distance, and someone shouted, “Thief!”
The easygoing smile on Arthur’s face vanished in an instant, his eyes turning sharp.
“A case! Let’s go! Sasha! Molly!”
With a loud thud! that left a crater in the ground, Arthur swung his arms and bolted forward.
“Excuse us first, Student Council President-senior!”
Molly also summoned her subspace skeleton horse and mounted it, chasing after him.
“Honestly, I told you, we only need to catch the phantom thief.”
Sasha sighed deeply, then summoned her vine familiar and climbed on.
“See you later, Simon oppa! I’ll come play if I get the time!”
“Alright, but don’t push yourselves.”
Simon waved at the three as they sped away.
‘So noisy.’
Simon chuckled, stretching his arms wide.
The moment they disappeared, the surroundings fell strangely quiet.
‘Then I should go look for my classmates too.’
* * *
Simon walked along the coastal road for a while.
With the first-years gone, the atmosphere calmed. He eventually left the bustling city center and came to a relatively quiet beach.
‘At least one of them should be playing around here.’
Thinking that, Simon looked around.
As he followed the path, the beach atmosphere changed drastically. From parasols to sunbeds, everything was luxurious and refined.
The people wandering here wore swimsuits, but none of them went near the water. Laden with jewelry, they clearly had no intention of getting their bodies wet.
Waiters, dressed ridiculously in swimsuits with bow ties, poured wine for them.
It was clearly a place for nobles rather than commoners.
Simon turned to leave, but then.
Behind him, a commotion rose.
“Did you come without attendants? Might we have the honor of showing you around?”
“Ah, I said no!”
Simon froze in place.
That snappy voice.
Familiar.
The source of the sound was a crowd of nobles gathering around.
“Allow us to invite you to our family villa.......”
“Would you join us at tonight’s party?”
“How many times must I say no!”
As Simon approached, the woman sitting on a sunbed, being pestered by men, came into clear view.
Simon, without realizing, stood dumbfounded.
Blue hair rippling like a stream.
Eyes like sapphires, skin like polished jade, eyebrows knit tightly in anger.
A white swimsuit, covered loosely by a transparent robe.
A glass of lemonade in her hand.
‘No way.’
At that moment, the woman also noticed him.
Her scowl vanished as if it had been a lie, and her blue eyes shone with a bright glow.
“Simon, over here!”
The nobles harassing her turned in surprise.
Simon flinched and stopped walking.
Not because of the nobles.
‘M-Maelyn?’
It had been a while since he’d seen her out of uniform. Somehow, she looked more mature, more grown-up.
The nobles, noticing Simon’s reaction, hardened their faces.
“Tch, really now. Pretending to know some stranger on the street....”
Simon quickly regained his senses and strode forward. When she saw him, Maelyn smiled brightly, ran to meet him, and clung to his arm with a playful tone.
“Why are you so late?”
Simon’s face flushed red.
“S-sorry.”
No need for words in such a situation. Two of the nobles sighed in defeat and turned away.
But one remained.
A blond noble with a protruding belly and strange frills hanging from his swimwear. He stomped forward.
“You there!”
He gestured at Simon.
“I am Antonio Bertonote, of the Bertonote Marquisate!”
Announcing his noble status first, Antonio’s lips curled into a smirk.
“I intended to invite this young lady to my villa for a time....”
“Keyzen’s Student Council President, Simon Follentia.”
Antonio’s face went blank.
An absolute credential that eclipsed any title or rank. The other two nobles quickly retreated.
“I’ll be taking my vice president with me.”
Regaining his composure, Simon casually pulled Maelyn closer by the shoulder. Her cheeks flushed faintly.
“We have business matters to discuss. Is that alright?”
“G-grrk!”
Antonio’s face turned ashen, his arms trembling.
“In front of a Marquisate! Such lies need at least a shred of sincerity......!”
Vwoooooooom!
In an instant, the sandy beach darkened, fierce winds swirling. The sky dimmed, and the ground split like a cracked mirror.
Creak.
Creeeak.
The beach, once brimming with youth and vitality, suddenly turned icy cold. All around, zombie arms and skeletal limbs burst from the sand.
“Huuh! Huhh!”
Antonio trembled violently. In the shadows, the blue-haired boy’s eyes gleamed.
Antonio’s legs shook.
‘D-don’t tell me, really Keyzen’s......!’
At that moment, skeletal hands shot from the ground, grabbing Antonio’s legs. With a face twisted in terror, he collapsed onto the sand.
Not even a scream came out. Foam frothed at his lips, and his swimwear turned damp.
Clap!
A crisp sound rang out, and the sky cleared once again.
The blue-haired boy, smiling, stood above him with his hands clapping.
“Then we’ll excuse ourselves.”
Simon took Maelyn with him and left.
Antonio, face vacant and broken, sat on the sand staring blankly at Simon’s retreating back.
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